


French Wine

by Katrina



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-18
Updated: 2012-01-18
Packaged: 2017-10-29 17:59:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/322602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katrina/pseuds/Katrina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ezio is enjoying the lovely summer's day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	French Wine

It had been a good day so far, and Ezio smiled as he watched Sofia sitting with the children, reading to them from one of her many books. She looked lovely, and he had to admire her, perfectly content with his life at the moment. Finally, things had settled, and he was able to enjoy this lovely early summer day, looking at a very pretty woman and his children.

The sound of a horse coming towards the home caught his attention, and from the way Sofia paused and looked up, she had heard it as well. Waving at her, Ezio pushed himself up out of the chair and moved to see who was coming.

Whoever it was, they were alone, only a single rider, who moved in no hurry. Once they got closer, Ezio realized he knew this man, but he wasn’t sure how. The young man, who looked tired, rode up easily towards Ezio before finally stopping a polite distance away. There was no feel or flicker of threat around him, and that was what made Ezio realize how he knew the man.

“Ah, you are Francesco Melzi, yes? Leonardo’s student.”

There was a tight smile and a small nod as Melzi slid off the horse. “Yes. That is why I am here, actually. I bring a message from the Maestro.”

Ezio could feel himself perking up. It had been a while since the last letter had come, as well as several books that his darling wife had almost knocked him over to get at. It still amused him when he thought of Sofia’s reaction when they had gone to Milano to visit Leonardo and his bratty lover Salai. Though, Salai had been rather scarce, and most of Leo’s attention had been on training the man who was currently standing in front of Ezio now. It seemed that stories of Leo’s brilliance had traveled all over, and his wife had known who Leonardo was. The pair of them had swiftly left Ezio behind in their conversation, but he was fine with that. Simply watching them talk and enjoy the conversation had made him happy.

“Ah, how is he doing? I know he was feeling poorly in the last letter.”

Melzi’s expression went tighter. “Here. He wanted to make sure that you read this.”

Frowning some now, Ezio reached out and took the letter. The seal was one that Leonardo had designed long ago, something so Ezio would always know it had come from his friend. Breaking it open, he paused, unfamiliar writing on the paper. For once, it wasn’t the same careful lettering Leonardo used when he was writing in a way that a regular person would. Looking up, Ezio frowned more. “What...?”

“His hands.... They were shaky.” Melzi paused, shutting his eyes for a moment. “I took the letter for him. Please. Just read.”

Something cold curled in Ezio’s stomach, a sense of foreboding. He tried to shake it off, to ignore it as he focused on the letter again.

 _My dear friend,_

 _It has been a while since I last wrote, and I am sure that you are giving my poor student such a look when you see his writing instead of mine. I am sure that you are probably being a suspicious old man now, but accept that it had to be. It has been difficult lately to do things such as write, and if I tried, I doubt that you would even be able to decipher my words. They would have been more confusing than any Codex of yours, I am sure._

Ezio paused, smiling some. Leonardo was right, and he could almost hear his friend laughing at he said that. Shaking his head some, he focused again, finding his spot quickly enough.

 _In any case, I trust Melzi, as he has been a true companion. Salai is gone for good. He left last winter, before the new year. There were some letters, but I think that he will not be coming back. Melzi, though, has stayed. Which I do appreciate, and I am not simply saying so so he stops giving me the look he is giving me now. And he better start writing again._

That got a glance at Melzi, who produced a bit more of a natural smile. “Got to the part where he comments about me giving him a look, hmm? I was, but I still followed his wishes.” A slow breath. “Please, continue.”

 _Though I find that I am rambling more than before._

 _Ezio, you have been a friend who I have cared about more deeply than most people in my life. We have known each other for well over forty years, my friend, and I simply wanted to tell you that you are a good man. A true friend who has finally found the happiness that has been denied too long._

 _Treasure what you have. I remember so many years where you were more lost than you let on, and now you have finally found solid ground once more. I remember when you introduced me to your wife, when you wrote me of your children. I simply wanted to say thank you, for everything you have given me over the years. The next time we see each other, we shall have to have a glass of wine. Francis has given me quite a good year, and Melzi should stop giving me that look again. I was given leave to call him by his given name, and I rather enjoy doing so. No matter._

 _Be safe, my friend, and remember that I am eternally happy that you came back to have me fix your father’s blade._

 _Your friend,_

 _Leonardo._

“This is remarkably short for Leonardo,” Ezio said after a moment, skimming the letter again. He glanced up to find Melzi looking through one of the bags that were attached to the horse. The man hummed, then pulled out a dark bottle.

“He fell asleep shortly after, and this is for you.” He offered the bottle to Ezio, who took it. For a moment, he simply looked at it, recognizing the French words, and even understanding what a few of them meant.

“Melzi, what....”

“King Francis asked that you accept it. Maestro...requested that he do so. And the king was most fond of my teacher, so he agreed.”

Melzi’s voice cracked, and Ezio felt that cold knot grow. “Was most fond?” No. He did not truly wish an answer to that. Not at all.

“Leonardo died on the second of May. He left several things to you, including this bottle. Salai got a portion of Leonardo’s main vineyard, as well as several of his paintings. I received most of his books and papers, though I did promise him that if your lovely wife ever wished to read them, I would allow her to borrow them with no hesitation.”

Melzi paused again, reaching out to catch Ezio’s elbow. Everything seemed to have gone muffled and distant for the older man, as he took slow, shallow breaths.

Leonardo was...gone. It simply did not seem real. His friend, his brilliant, wonderful, generous friend was gone. Without Leonardo, Ezio would never had gotten as far as he had, had learned as much as he did. Ezio was not even sure if he would have survived without having Leonardo there.

“Was it quiet?”

“He died in his sleep. The king was most unhappy when he heard. The last few years.... Leonardo was treasured by the king and his court. More than he ever was by Roma and the Pope. King Francis adored Leonardo, and that does bring some comfort to me to know that people did realize just what a great man my master was. I do not know if it will help you or not, but I don’t think he will be forgotten for many years, at least by the French.”

Shaking himself, Melzi sighed. “The bottle was an important gift, but not the most important, as far as Leonardo was concerned. This, he made sure I knew came to you.”

The second item that Melzi retrieved and offered over was a collection of papers, originally loose and later bound. If nothing else, his friendship with Leonardo and his marriage to Sofia had taught him just what that looked like. Slowly, still carefully controlling his breathing, Ezio opened it up. The first page alone almost made him lose his composure completely.

There, in a faded sketch in light pencil and ink, was Federico. Around him were similar tiny sketches of the rest of the family, including Ezio. Had he ever really looked that young once? Had they all?

Shaky fingers traced over the faces of those long gone. Only he and Claudia were left now. “How...?”

“If I read the notes on the edges right, your mother had talked to him of a family picture. I am not surprised if you never noticed him drawing you. He had a good memory for faces, and was always sketching after we would return home from walking the streets. I imagine he did the same for these. You should look more.”

Unable to stop himself, Ezio turned to the next page. Then the next. There were more sketches of his family, at least for the first few. Then his brothers and his father stopped appearing, but the pictures of Claudia, Maria, and Ezio himself continued. All different poses and expressions. Nothing greatly detailed, but enough to let him know what they had been feeling when Leo had committed the images to memory to later put on paper.

Then it wasn’t only his family. Assassins, thieves, courtesans. People that they had both met over the years, who they had been friends with. His Uncle Mario, Machiavelli, Rosa. Some faces he had not seen in a long time, others he had seen just the other day.

This was history. He was looking at himself and Claudia age and grow, watched the progression of his life here, of friends he had met. Leo had even included La Volpe, and he knew the man would frown so if he found out.

In the middle, Ezio had to pause. This was no sketch. This was... He knew it to be one of the many times he had simply dozed off in Leonardo’s shop, too tired to stay awake and feeling perfectly safe there. Apparently, at least once, Leo had taken the time to do a good and proper drawing. The detail of it astounded Ezio, and he was reminded, yet again, of just how talented his friend had been.

There were even a few drawings that made him shake his head. Such as him trying to deal with Leonardo’s infernal flying machine. It had worked, but what a ride.

The faces continued to change, to age. The lines became a bit shakier, but he simply ignored the implication of failing health and then he froze again.

The newest face was him and Sofia, smiling at each other. It was...he had no words for it. But he knew that this was no simple sketch. There was none of the shaky lines that were starting to appear more and more often. No, this was a very focused piece of work, and he felt his eyes burn a moment.

The next was of Flavia and Marcello. Marcello was just a babe, but Flavia was looking out of the paper with clear eyes that Ezio knew were just like his. Love swelled up in his heart at the image of his children caught so well. These were as carefully done as the one of him and Sofia.

“This is...priceless.”

“He put it together very carefully for you. He said he wanted to make sure that you always remembered that, no matter how much evil there was, how much bad, there was still good, even if it was only in memories.”

Melzi’s voice trembled. “I wrote his brothers, but I have not seen them. I felt you should be told in person.”

“Thank you.” Ezio felt every one of his years, and then some. His best friend was gone. “Come, sit with us a while, and we will have a glass of this wine that Leonardo left. He would have preferred I drink with company.”

“He would. Terribly over protective like that at times.” Melzi was hesitating, and then shook himself. “A rest would be...welcomed. It has been a overwhelmingly busy month. I am to return to my father’s home after I finish here, but a rest would be...good.”

He did not need to say it was a rest with people who had cared about Leonardo as much as he had. Ezio felt the same. They would sit and drink and remember the good times with the one who had gone. Leonardo would have liked that, he was sure of it.

With an aching chest and a heavy step, Ezio turned to lead Melzi to where the others were.

Real grief would come later, after Melzi had gone, after the children were put to bed.

The day did not seem so nice anymore.


End file.
